Tangled yarn. It happens. Boy does it ever happen. With alarming frequency…… but, more often than not, we’re able to get it get it back on the straight and narrow. However, there are times when we just can’t bear to face another tangled skein and, well, some of you live to untangle yarn and I live to serve! It just wouldn’t be nice of me to keep it all to myself!

Tangled times like these call for reinforcements. My reinforcements of choice today are dark chocolate and roasted almonds. Tell me, what are your go-to treats? Drop me a comment and tell me what your favorite snacks, drinks, etc. are when you’re having one of those days. You’ll be entered into a drawing to win a tangled skein of yarn. Two winners will be randomly chosen.  Comments will stay open through Monday, June 21 at noon Eastern.

Getting ready for an update too! Shop update Sunday, June 20th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern followed by a small sneak-up on Monday, June 21st.

Smore Chocolate – Merino SW Worsted

Also known as Farmer’s Market Wednesday!

My other favorite day? Any day that has a knitted FO to show, that’s what!

Wandering The Moor

And, I wanted to share a good recipe that was suggested after this post. Doesn’t this sound great?! Thanks LJo of MadieBandMe what a great suggestion!

Los Barrios by Diana Barrios Trevino

Chicken Chipotle
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon salt
8 oz package cream cheese..room temp
1 cup milk
2 canned chipotle chiles
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon paprika

Place chicken breasts, onion, garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon of salt in large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325. Grease 9×13 baking dish. Combine the cream cheese, milk, chiles, and salt and pepper in a blender and blend well. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish, Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinke with the paprika. Bake for 20 minutes.

YUM!

Things are beyond green in our neck of the woods – it almost feels like we’re living in Sherwood Forest. So, it’s fitting that I just finished a Wandering the Moor shawl in Plucky Merino Lite. It’s blocking as I type – pictures to come soon. Already, I’m dreaming of another shawl in the Plucky MCN Lite (especially since Shelbie’s made it pretty clear she wants another scarf/shawl – she’s very persuasive) maybe something a little more vibrant, or broody. Depending on how much coffee I’ve consumed, that is.

It’s time for an update! Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 9th, beginning early-ish in the morning, continuing through the entire day. The update will feature a nice variety of items, including more repeatable sweater listings. I’m finding it to be a nice way to ensure people are getting enough for larger projects. Over the next several weeks I hope to be adding at least three more repeatble colors… just a little FYI.

Blocking. It never ceases to amaze me.

Don’t even get me started on the cast-on-itis I’ve had (apparently I suffer this common knitting malady on a regular basis. It’s like clockwork).

After casting on for so many different projects that I now need to complete them (complete. frog. potato. potatoe.) so I can free up some knitting needles (sizes 5, 6, 7 and 8, I’m talking to you), I’m this close to being done with Wandering the Moor. (Lace and I. We have a bit of a complicated – not quite a love hate, but close – relationship). It’s a pretty quick knit, or would be if I didn’t keep messing up on row 15. Four times. We had to go our separate ways for a couple of days, the shawl and I. But, now, we’ve reached an tentative truce and things seem to be coming along swimmingly.

There has been lot’s of gardening, farmer’s market shopping and cooking going on as well. Mr. Plucky got it in his head that I needed to make him a brisket (BTW~ Smitten Kitchen, if you haven’t seen the SK website, you must. Now. Go ahead, I’ll wait), and, with all the gardening work he’s been doing it was my solemn duty to oblige. I find he works much better when tempted with food. Especially beef.

The brisket recipe calls for one (two if you can handle the heat) chilpotle pepper in adobo sauce. My question is, what to do with the rest of the can? Any recipes out there you can recommend? Should I freeze them? Seems such a shame to have to throw the rest of the can away.

Shelbie’s succulents

Fresh cut bouquet from the farmer’s market. Don’t you just love spring?

Days Gone By – MCN Fingering

You Send Me – MCN Fingering

Let’s kick of Summer with a yarny bang, shall we?!

The above skeins and a bucket of other goodies will be in a sneak-update this Friday, May 28th. It’s the official kick-off to Summer and I think we need to celebrate with a FREE SHIPPING sale as well as a slew of sale skeins (both fascination series and single sale skeins), some sweater quantities (ready to ship as well as pre-orders) and other fun items. The update will begin early Friday morning and go all day. Hope to see you there!

Also, don’t forget to enter your suggestion in the new base yarn naming contest we’re having? I’m keeping comments private until Monday, May 31 at which time I’ll be announcing the winner!

Because I just couldn’t wait until Eye Candy Friday!

Over the past several years or so Shelbie has been a regular source of eye candy for the blog…. after a little hiatus she’s back to sharing with us again. Yay! We both thought it was time to bring a little more eye candy back to the blog. Feel free to check out her Flickr Photostream.

Awww…. Sammy.

Doesn’t this just scream Summer?